Being an avid blogger myself and having subscribed to newsletters, updates, RSS feeds and similar stuff from various websites & blogs of interest, I keep myself updated with the news and stories and articles especially from my niche professional arena. MagicBricks(dot)com happens to be one such website the newsletter of which I receive occasionally.

The newsletter received yesterday (23/03/2011) had some humorous typo error in MagicBrick's newsletter's 'ALT TEXT' behind one of the images that accompanied the print media's recently published article about Delhi NCR's builders and realty czars claiming their buildings are no less than foolproof earthquake resistant. 

The mentioned 'ALT TEXT' in the image reads: "New buildings are quack resistant"  while the link title of the article rightly says "New buildings are quake resistant"

I simply wish and hope that the Indian Realty Bazaar may really become resistant to QUACKS (in line with the typo error) as well as earth QUAKES (as has been claimed by the builders and realty czars)  :-D

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[Readers' Contributions]: This post has been submitted by Mr. Manoj S., an architect with a leading Architecture Company located in Noida. While almost the entire content of received submission from Mr. Manoj has been kept as such, a few minor corrections and alterations in outgoing links have been incorporated at BnM's editors' desk, duly in line with bricks-n-mortar's policy and of course in consent with the contributor himself.

Owners of residential flats, builder-floors, individual floors, commercial usage floor-spaces and the likes in India's capital city of Delhi have a reason to rejoice this summer.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) plans to modify, better and restart the service offered to Delhiites so as to make the floor-wise approval of construction plans easier that fall in the Delhi Municipality Limits. MCD may soon be coming up with revised guidelines for floor-wise regularizing and sanctioning of building plans in accordance with the Master Plan of Delhi 2021.

Putting this technical jargon in plain simple words for the easy understanding of our readers...

Presently, if a particular flat / individual floor / builder-floor/ commercial floorspace owner had to modify, expand, renovate or construct the floor area in his/her possession (P.S.: mind it... this doesn't apply to common areas or the areas under dispute, or acts leading to encroachment of space/area!), he/she is  necessarily required to obtain a 'No Objection Certificate (NOC)' from all other owners/ occupants/ neighbors of the building before taking up any new work. This was of course besides the requisite necessary approvals of the plans of proposed construction/ renovation/ modification from the regulatory authorities.

However, it was noted in many a cases that

In wake of the recent earthquake and tsunami off the North-NorthEast part of Japan and resulting catastrophe, there has not only the immediate loss of life and economic material parameters, but also the risk of leaking harmful radiations from the destructed Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.

Many of us must already have received chain emails, SMSs and advisories from friends and relatives like this one currently in circulation...

"There was a nuclear blast 4:30pm Sunday in Fukushima Japan. If it rains today or in the next few days, DO NOT GO UNDER THE RAIN. If you get caught out, use an umbrella or raincoat, even if it's only a drizzle. Radioactive particles may possibly be transmitted through rains, which may cause burns, alopecia, blindness or even cancer.

Reported BBC flash news: Japan government confirms radiation leak at Fukushima nuclear plants. Asian countries should take necessary precautions.
If it rains, remain indoors for at least first 24 hours; Keep the doors, windows, ventilators and other openings closed; Keep swabbing your face, neck and exposed skin with antiseptic / beta-dine solution. Avoid going outsides and keep your children indoors"

Now, irrespective of how true or authentic these circulating news-pieces be, we must exercise precaution, restraint and be alert in all respects. This is harsh fact that the situation is not completely in hands there at Fukushima and the radiations from the power plant at risk are continuously increasing to alarming levels thereby posing real threat to mankind-- no matter how grave the situation be.

And that is why, we are sharing this information with our readers to exercise caution despite not fully sure of the graveness of the situation. It is not certain how many kilometers of radius are in direct alarming situation and how many more could possibly be contaminated by changing climatic conditions together with geographical parameters.

All we can do is to wait and watch, and be ready to face any possible risk- especially in regions in the close and far vicinity of the epicenter of concern.

Most of you might already be knowing that its a usual practice in the blogging world to cross link one's/ concern's weblink(s) to other similar category blog/ website; or in that matter of fact any 'happening' blog/ website. This, for all the tech-savvy and SEO conscious blog/ website owners and their respective marketing firms, provides what in tech jargon is usually called link exchange or link-juice or whatever. It is widely believed that such cross linking of http protocols help in gaining useful pagerank points/ numbers/ whatever.

LINK-BAIT - Image source: seoreligion

We, here at bricks-n-mortar, also do get umpteen of such link-baits usually in the comments section as COMMENTS to posted stuff. And the occurrence of such un-genuine comments are increasing day-by-day. To keep our blog clean and out of reach of such meaningless clutter, we have enabled 'moderation of comments' whereby all comments or guest posts are first moderated by Team-BnM and then only allowed to publish online.

Although we keep tight vigil over this issue, one or two scrupulous things may pass through. We request all of you readers and patrons to also keep an eye, and report any such matter to us. Any such unwanted input shall be deleted from the published content ASAP as and when reported.

However, liberty is sometimes exercised to a minuscule of such incoming content subject to the link-bait being not spam and considered useful to some of the readers of this blog. Such links are first checked for their usefulness and similar content criteria. Suggestions are still welcome to remove any comment with link-bait if found and considered useless/ harmful.

But, of course, in case any of readers/ contributors/ subscribers come across useful weblinks/ short URL, or if wish to share any meaningful stuff over guest posts and/or comments section, they shall always be welcome to do so. After all, this blog is for sharing useful symbiotic information only to one and all.  :-)

Do continue your best efforts in keeping this community meaningful and clutter-free.

Consider this...

You own a piece of land in the prime location of a city by either inheriting the property or acquiring on your own, but are not using the plot of land due to any reason whatsoever. For you, the piece of land is a price possession and an intelligent investment, which you shall encash at a suitable point of time in near or far future.

You ensure making the boundaries intact demarcating the land patch from the vicinity and also marking your ownership on it. But, do you care what happens thereafter?

The picture highlights the plight of a patch of land located in Delhi NCR that might be causing enough heart-burns and anguish to the neighbors rather than the land owner. The plot has become nothing less than a mini-jungle, which although being a green patch would not prove of any use to people nearby. There would be more chances of reptiles and insects creeping in the adjacent buildings rather than providing a green shade.

So, what should ideally be done in such circumstances? A few points to ponder upon...

• Hire a caretaker who can not only guard, but also help keep the place tidy
• Not let the plants, shrubs and trees turn wild-some that may cause discomfort to the neighbors and people staying close-by.
• Visit the place at least once a while to take stock. This would not only help in taking physical stock of your valuable land, but also provide a check to the people close-by who may want to highlight specific issues with you if there may be any.
• Last but not the least, you would be behaving in more social and amicable manner with the neighbors that always mean the most for mankind :-)